


Team Voltron Hogwarts Holiday Challenge

by FeyduBois



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Cats, F/M, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-20
Updated: 2016-12-19
Packaged: 2018-09-09 23:34:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8917603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeyduBois/pseuds/FeyduBois
Summary: During the winter holidays Charms Professor Allura Altea issues a challenge to the Hogwarts students who stay for the holidays from all houses, to complete a series of 12 tasks in teams of their year-mates. Despite their problems, if Shiro had to bet money on which year would win the holiday challenge, it was this oddball assortment of fourth years, despite their interpersonal issues, who he would bet on (and not just because he's their faculty advisor).The Hogwarts Holiday AU you didn't know you wanted.





	

**Author's Note:**

> In December 2016 no one stopped me from writing VLD Hogwart’s AU Holiday Fluff. It was, in fact, encouraged. This is your fault, you all know who you are.

* * *

Day One: Team Voltron

Holidays at Hogwarts could get lonely if you were alone. No one knew this more than Charms Professor Allura Altea, who had spent most of her childhood Christmases at school even before she was old enough to attend because her father was headmaster. All of the other students would leave to visit their families and the corridors took on an empty, mournful, feeling. It was unlike the lonely feeling of summer vacation, which was full of fresh air and then the lake, the grounds, and the forest became the place to be. It was a confined, cold, feeling, despite the beautiful decorations spread across the campus and the fires kept stoked high. Allura hadn’t liked the holidays at first, but they were starting to grow on her.

Hogwarts had been Allura’s playground and so she always felt a particular empathy for the students left behind during the winter holidays. Last year she had headlined a project which involved placing students from the same year, no matter what house they were in, into groups and having them attend holiday activities together, competing against other teams (years) in a friendly rivalry.

Allura looked on in amusement as students interacted. The dynamic between the four fourth years interested her especially. Normally one would expect the Gryffindor to take on the Slytherin, but for whatever reason, in this group, it was the Gryffindor and the Ravenclaw who took issue with each other. Red and blue had never clashed so badly as Keith and Lance. Out of the small group of fourth years it was these two which Allura most worried would break apart the group, especially since Slytherin’s representative, Pidge, tended to side with Ravenclaw’s Lance on account of her family being a long line of Ravenclaws and the Hufflepuff Hunk, although a peacemaker like most of his kind, was Lance’s best friend. Never had Allura seen so much animosity directed at a Gryffindor.

“Doesn’t everyone love Gryffindor?” she asked Professor Shirogane who sat next to her at the professor’s breakfast table, “Isn’t that their thing?”

Shiro couldn’t help it; he laughed.

“Did I say something funny?”

“Sorry,” he chuckled, “I suppose you were a Gryffindor?”

“I was indeed.”

“The truth is… well. You know I never attended Hogwarts, but from what I’ve heard from others, everyone else kind of resents Gryffindor. They’re the favourites.”

“Oh,” said Allura, a crease forming between her white brows, “I had no idea.”

“Not that Kogane is much of a Gryffindor, at least not by the standard definition.”

“He isn’t,” Allura agreed, “I was there for his sorting, he argued with the hat. For half an hour. McGonagall had to forcefully remove it.”

Shiro laughed, “That sounds like him.” 

Their gazes drifted over to the round table, one of seven set up just for the holiday, where the fourth year students sat. Lance was gesturing wildly while Keith looked unimpressed, Pidge was asking questions, and Hunk was just trying to get some scrambled eggs without being taken out by Lance’s flailing arms.

Around the rest of the room the other six tables were filled with anywhere from three to ten students each, all from the same year, nearly all with representation from each house, although some were weighted in favour of some house or another. The holiday project was not about teamwork within houses however, the point system was on hold, it was about teamwork with peers. Each group was also assigned a faculty member to assist them and were barred from consulting with other faculty members about the challenges.

Despite their problems, if Shiro had to bet money on which year would win the holiday challenge, it was this oddball assortment of fourth years, despite their interpersonal issues. Secretly he hoped they were his assignment.

“Students, your attention please,” headmistress McGonagall stood up, tapping her glass with a spoon, “Welcome to your first of twelve challenges. You have all had a day to get to know your teammates and get settled in for the holiday and today we will begin in earnest. I will turn you know to Professor Altea who is leading the project and issuing the challenges.”

Shiro gave Allura an encouraging smile as she stood up, “Welcome. I know that some of you are new to the challenge, but many of you are regulars over the holidays here as well. I will explain it briefly, if you have more questions please ask someone in your group or consult your assigned faculty member.

“For twelve days we will have a daily challenge, appropriate to your age and wizarding level, posted on your table at breakfast. You must complete the challenge by 5pm sharp and McGonagall and I will award you a score out of 10. We are looking for creativity, style, and mastery. The team with the most points wins at the end will receive a special gift.”

There was general chatter amongst the hall.

“Teams, your challenges! The name of your advisor will also be on the envelope.” Allura called and suddenly golden envelopes burst into existence on the centrepiece of each table. The students tore into them and Allura sat back in her seat, grinning. McGonagall gave her an approving nod. With McGonagall retiring soon Allura was at the top of the list for potential replacements, although she didn’t like to brag about it over much, since some considered her father’s influence problematic.

At the large table seven faculty members each had an envelope appear as well. Everyone besides Allura and McGonagall, who were the judges of the challenges. Shiro opened his and was delighted when he saw he had in fact been assigned the fourth year group.

* * *

Technically Hunk had grabbed the envelope first but Pidge had snatched it from his hands before he could react and was tearing it open. “Today’s challenge is simple, but harder than it sounds,” she read, “Come up with a team name that everyone agrees on and has meaning. EVERYONE in your group must agree and the best name will with points for creativity and relevance.”

“That’s easy,” said Lance, “We just need to name ourselves?”

“We need to agree on a name,” clarified Pidge, “All of us.”

“Who’s our faculty?” asked Hunk.

“Professor Shirogane,” said Pidge.

Keith breathed a sigh of relief. Shiro had taken Keith under his wing since his second year and Hogwarts and he felt like he would be able to tackle the challenges better with help. Unlike last year.

“Hello,” Shiro approached the table with a warm smile, “Are you ready to go to the fourth-year workspace? We have all the Defence Against the Dark Arts rooms.”

* * *

“Wow Professor Shirogane!” Hunk exclaimed, “You didn’t have to do all this for us!”

Shiro had cleared the desks to one side of the room and set up a lounge space with soft purple and black couches in a U-shape around the fireplace which was already lit. Behind the couches a Christmas tree sparkled with gold lights. A black cat with gold eyes was sprawled out in front of the fireplace but she stood up when they entered, stretching and yawning.

“Please, for the next two weeks, call me Shiro.”

“Who’s this?” asked Lance, greeting the cat as she rubbed herself against his legs.

“That’s Kuro.”

“She’s a sweetheart, aren’t you?” Lance stroked the cat who arched her back affectionately.

Everyone sat down and settled themselves on the couches while Shiro rustled up a clipboard and quill.

“Before we get started, I know you all met yesterday, and you’ve all had classes with me, but I’d like to know why you chose to spend your holidays here and if you’ve done it before. I know why Keith is here,” Shiro gestured to his left where Keith sat, “but how about the rest of you? Clockwise?”

Pidge was next to Keith, “This is my first break spent here, but my brother is in Ravenclaw in sixth year.”

“Matt?” asked Lance, recognizing the family resemblance right away.

“Yep,” Pidge answered, “Our parents work for the ministry and their mission is confidential so we can’t talk about it, but they need to work over the holidays so we’re here.”

“Thank you Pidge,” said Shiro, “Hunk?”

“My mom is working too. She works with Medi-witches Without Borders and this year has been really busy with that big earthquake in South America so I told her not to worry about the holiday and that I’d stay here. I miss her, but then I just think about all those poor people without homes and I know she’s helping so it’s okay.”

“That’s wonderful Hunk. Lance?”

“Oh man,” Lance sighed, “It’s nothing that exciting for me. My parents didn’t want to shell out the money to fly all four of us who are at Hogwarts home for the holidays, but we’ve got each other, and we’ll see them all over spring break.” Lance didn’t want to say couldn’t afford, but they’d never been wealthy and with seven kids life got expensive.

“You’ve got three siblings at Hogwarts?” asked Shiro.

“My sister is in Ravenclaw too, sixth year, and my twin brothers are in second year Hufflepuff,” Lance grinned, “There’s two more at home and another on the way.”

“Your parents ever heard of birth control?” Keith asked.

“What are you doing here then mullet-head?” Lance snarled.

“Boys!” Shiro broke in before things could escalate, “Keith is a Ward of Court.*”

This quieted Lance right away. Orphans were not uncommon after the war and were generally treated with respect.

“Sorry Keith,” Shiro apologized, “it was not my place to reveal that.”

Keith shrugged.

“You, however, should be more civil towards Lance. You are supposed to bond with your year-mates over the holidays.”

“Bond?” Keith scoffed, “What does that even mean?”

“Co-operate, learn teamwork, make friends, you know,” Hunk suggested, “bond. Like glue.”

Pidge made a grossed out noise.

Shiro sighed. It wasn’t even 10am yet and he was already getting a headache.

* * *

“So no to Four by Four?”

“It’s all we have so far that everyone agrees on,” Hunk said.

“Yeah, but… egh.” said Lance, “Is being a fourth-year the only thing we have in common?”

“That and being stuck here for the holidays,” Pidge said.

Keith, with Kuro settled on his lap, stroked the dark fur. He had a cat too, a fiesty little ginger creature who would eat his face if he were as affectionate with her as he was with Kuro.

“What kind of familiars do you all have?”

“What?” asked Lance.

“Cat, rat, or owl?”

“I have a cat,” said Lance, but I don’t see…”

“Me too,” said Pidge.

“Same,” said Hunk.

“Oh!” exclaimed Shiro, “I see where you’re going with this. It’s after noon, how about if we take a break for lunch and everyone comes back here with their cats later?

* * *

Pidge had swiped some catnip from the herbology lab to ease the meeting. Felines were not typically known to be especially sociable with each other, but with the catnip, treats, and their owners laps each was comfortable enough to explore the room and each other.

Lance’s cat was a Russian blue named Sapphire, lean and leggy with softly glowing short hair. Hunk had a massive fluffy Maine Coon on his lap, busy shedding all over Shiro’s couch. Her name was Sunshine and she was a gentle giant. Keith had brought Pumpkin, the angry ginger, and Pidge’s cat was a tiny little pure white thing with glowing green eyes.

“Her name is Thimbleberry Thranduil Tenderfoot the II, but I just call her Thim.”

“That’s nice,” said Shiro, “Can you get Thim down from the tree?”

“What? Oh—shit!” Sure enough Pidge’s little cat was climbing up the tree, trying to get at a bird-shaped ornament near the top. Pidge quickly climbed to the top of the couch, but couldn’t reach it.

“Language.”

“Sorry Prof—Shiro.” Pidge said, “Hunk, can I get a hand?”

“Sure,” He set Sunshine down on the couch and stood up, easily lifting Pidge up so she could scoop Thim into her arms before the entire tree went down.

Hunk set them down, “Thim is super curious. She loves birds.”

“Cat Squad?” Lance suggested.

General disapproval.

“Kitty Crusaders.” said Shiro.

“Meh.”

“Kitten Caboodle.”

“No, Hunk.”

“Pussy Galore?” Lance said with a grin.

“No,” said Shiro.

“Festive Felines?” Pidge asked.

“Maybe…”   
Keith was having a stare-down with his cat. Pumpkin was unimpressed with being in a room with other cats, she was not a social creature, which worked for Keith as he wasn’t either. 

“Lions,” he muttered.

“What was that Keith?” asked Shiro.

“Do you guys remember learning the Voltron charm during class last week?”

“Oh yeah, Sapphire loved it being big like that.”

“What does this charm do again?” Shiro asked.

“It makes a cat, or another familiar, there are variations, big,” explained Pidge, “About the size of a small lion for cats, though I suspect Sunshine would end up a little bigger.”

“Pidge could ride Sunshine at her size with that charm,” Hunk said.

“Show me,” said Shiro.

“Felix Voltron!” Pidge said, waving her wand at Thim. Suddenly a bobcat sized Thim was in her lap. Thim blinked in confusion, and then jumped onto the top of the couch in a single leap, and onto the tree with a second jump. 

The tree crashed to the ground with a shattering of ornaments and flickering of lights. Thim jumped up from the wreck with the bird ornament in her mouth.

Shiro cast a quick cleaning spell and nodded. “That is quite a fun charm.”

“Let’s all do it!” said Pidge.

“Okay.”

“Yeah.”

“Sure.”

“Felix Voltron!” Sapphire suddenly found herself significantly larger than before. She approached Thim and began nosing at the bird, initiating a game with the other large cat.

“Felix Voltron,” said Hunk. Then again when nothing happened, waving his wand with a little more flourish this time, “Felix Voltron!” 

Instantly Hunk regretted not moving Sunshine off the couch first as he was suddenly crushed under the weight of a tiger-sized fur monster. Sunshine didn’t seem to care too much, she stretched across Hunk and Lance’s lap and began purring.

“Hunk!” 

“Sorry. Sunshine, move!” he heaved the cat off as gently as he could.

Shiro, laughing softly, gazed at Kuro. Kuro was looking at him expectantly, as if she knew what he was about to do. “Felix Voltron!”

Kuro was suddenly panther-like and approaching Shiro for a full-scale friendly head-butt.

“Your turn,” Shiro said to Keith.

Pumpkin was staring at Sunshine with disdain, hissing.

“I don’t know if I should, Pumpkin plays a little rough even at this size.” He had always thought it a good thing his house cat was the size of a house cat and no bigger, she was a moody creature and clawed him up enough as it was, although there were times when she was a gentle cuddle-bug too (and it was then that she turned into a drooler).

“If she gets out of hand you can reverse it right away,” Pidge said.

“Well… okay.” Keith sighed, pulling his wand from his pocket, “Felix Voltron!”

Pumpkin growled as she grew, and the growl grew with her, turning deep and dreadful. The large cat launched herself at her owner and landed on his lap, growling in his face, tail lashing back and forth. Then she paused, seeming to assess her condition, and tilted her head in confusion.

“Go… play with the other cats…” Keith said, trying not to move too much, hardly daring to breathe.

Pumpkin leapt off his lap and did just that, approaching Kuro who she was familiar with.

With the help of an order of tuna casserole from the kitchens and a whole lot of catnip the cats became fast friends. Shiro got out some toys and charmed them to become large. All the while the fourth-years chatted about their cats and their quirks.

It was thus that, this year, team Voltron was born.

They got a 9.2 for the name, placing them second behind the third-year team.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> More chapters coming as I write them! There might be errors since I'm posting as I write, I'll edit later I'm just trying to get this done.


End file.
